Rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and violence.
96 Minutes
Written and Directed By: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Staring: George Clooney, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, Elizabeth Marvel, David Rashe, J.K. Simmons, and Brad Pitt
You’re in league with that moronic woman. You are part of a league of morons. -Osbourne Cox
Review
You can always rely on the Coen brothers for a film that is 100% thinking out of the box. Burn After Reading is no exception to their collection of dark and violent dramas to their twisted and mischievous dark comedies. With exception of one Osbourne Cox, played brilliantly by John Malkovich , everyone in this film is a walking, chaotic disaster. The final lines sum the entire movie up when the CIA superior asks the officer what they learned, and the officer replies befuddled, that he doesn’t know except that they won’t do it again. The superior agrees, still confused himself, and the shot leaves the small office with no windows, and poof! You are no longer a fly on the wall.
The first scene begins much the same way, a quick glance into the strange goings on of the CIA. The viewer is officially a fly on the wall. In the office that is more akin to a closet, Osbourne Cox, a mid-level analyst is being demoted. In a fit of rage he curses out his superiors, quits and storms out of the office. Upon his return to his wife, who is having an affair with a promiscuous man from the treasury department, he searches for some clarity and opts to reflect the past years by writing a memoir of his years with the CIA. His wife is already secretly planning a divorce, copies all his information from his computer, mostly looking for his financial, not his memoirs, but the secretary at he lawyers office accidentally leaves the disc and her local gym where a woman desperate for plastic surgery and her dim witted friend decide to blackmail Osbourne for the disc.
The story often shoots back to the CIA officer reporting exactly what’s happening to his superior, who is just dumbfounded by the situation. They each continue to ask each other what is going on or why the people are doing the 
things they are doing. They seem to be speaking for the viewer, and the constant response of the superior is a flabbergasted, “Who the heck knows, just go back and keep watching them, it doesn’t matter that it doesn’t make sense.”
There are some political undertones and jesting. There is the feeling that the entire situation is mocking the CIA who watches everything but does very little about it. The line where the CIA Superior is aghast at the idea of sharing information with the bumbling fools of the FBI was incredibly poignant, but it wasn’t thrown in your face. It was there as an underlying point, gently nudging and mocking, but not being capricious about it.
The character’s themselves have essentially no back story. Only a strong cast of actors could pop onscreen and make them so vibrant and fluent. Brad Pitt’s small role was particularly humorous, and the physical comedy he portrayed reminded me exactly what a talented character actor he is. Even with Pitts small, but significant role John Malkovich stole the show each time he was on screen. The authority he speaks with commands attention, and his fantastic deliveries as the occasional voice of reason, made for a compelling dynamic. George Clooney even proved he had more range than the Michael Clayton type role he’s been playing lately. I’d almost forgotten exactly how charismatic and funny he could be. When he ran away from Frances McDormand, I was left in hysterics.
This film blatantly acknowledges exactly how ridiculous every event is, and then continues on it’s merry way. Burn After Reading was almost too clever for it’s own good. There was a great sense of pleasure in watching such an intelligent comedy with such moronic characters. There was no pacing to understand what to expect, even though the climax was great, but not elevated on some unnaturally built up tension. It just was. I love the Coens for doing what they do. Burn After Reading will shortly be finding it’s way onto my DVD shelf.
Like all Coen Brothers films, this one grows on you – and each time I see it, it gets funnier and better. I remember being so surprised at the violence the first time I saw it, which I should have expected. as always, they get great performances by everyone. Malkovich is insane and it is nice to see Brad Pitt play a complete idiot here. I also love JK Simmons, even in bits and spurts. Not one of their very best films, but still absolutely worth it for any Coen fan. Nice, Heather!!! I like the fly-on-the-wall observation….good catch. I missed it.
Malkovich killed in it! I like it the more I watch it. Everything about it is so absurd I can’t help myself.
Heather recently posted..Groovers & Mobsters Present: Dark Comedy
I too liked this darkly comic quickie from the Coens. The humour and jibes at both America’s Intelligence bureaus, as well as an average American’s intelligence, were tar black and hilarious. The scene where Clooney kills Brad Pitt was especially hilarious. Nice review!
Shubhajit Lahiri recently posted..Killer of Sheep [1977]
I was not expecting that and it was kind of cool to be so caught off guard even though the film in it’s essence is a violent movie.
Heather recently posted..Groovers & Mobsters Present: Dark Comedy
The last movie I saw before the boy was born (so my last unencumbered film) — totally a treat. This flick got so much flack for some reason, people didn’t have the patience for it (reminds me of how Miller’s Crossing came out). I usually tell people who don’t like a Coen Bros. movie that the problem is probably more with the viewer than the filmmaker.
This seems to apply to every Coen except for The Man Who Wasn’t There. That one just didn’t do it for me.
BAR though is such a classic small Altman-esque ensemble film, with fantastic Coen touches. And Malky is, of course, a genius. But You were wrong about one thing, Heather. Malky commanded attention, but the Cloontang Chair commanded much MUCH more.
FRC Ruben recently posted..Quote of the Day Total Compliance Edition
This is the only movie where I don’t want to slap Clooney…and that MUST mean something.
It made me remember how charismatic Clooney can actually be. He’s played so many stoic roles as of late it was a breath of fresh air to see him go bonkers.
I thought this was an interesting chance of pace after their Best Picture win.
Interesting and much needed change of pace I think.
Encore Entertainment recently posted..Encore’s Greatest Voices- 20-11
I haven’t had a chance to see this but your outstanding review sure has made it go up to the top of my “list”. Looking forward to it
Castor recently posted..
It is definitely for a specific taste of humor-random acts of nonsense-but once you adjust to it, it just becomes more and more funny.
Heather recently posted..Groovers & Mobsters Present: Dark Comedy
This grows on me more and more each time I see it. I think Brad Pitt is overrated in the movie. Malkovich owns this film.
Frank recently posted..Yes, I am a sinner.
Brad Pitt is funny, Clooney is funny, McDormand is funny, and Malkovich is a god.
Heather recently posted..Groovers & Mobsters Present: Dark Comedy
Ugh, Heather I love you: this review is just golden. LOVE this movie (one of my favourites of the year and the decade). It’s my favourite Coen film actually (usually I’m not too fond of them) and everything is just excellent – Pitt makes my favourite performances of the decade list easily.
And those quotes, “F*** you Peck, you’re a Mormon. To you everyone has a drinking problem.”
I don’t know why that line makes me grin so much.
I’m glad to hear so many other people share my affection for it! I really thought I was one of the only ones! Brad Pitt was great in this, but then I’m a fan of most of his work!
Excellent review Heather. There’s an absurd sense of humour so akin to the Coen’s but it’s much more lighthearted than some of their recent work – namely, No Country For Old Men. It’s one of their more accessible films in the mode of Raising Arizona and the craziness of Hudsucker Proxy.
Dan recently posted..Review: A Cock and Bull Story (Winterbottom, 2005)
It is crazy Dan! I love how none of it really comes together and we are just subject to bits and pieces. It’s hysterical.
BTW, sometimes when I go to your site it freezes up my whole computer. Other times it is perfectly fine. I just wanted you to know I haven’t been ignoring you, the last few times I’ve gone there it has been doing that so I can’t get on.
Heather recently posted..Groovers & Mobsters Present: Dark Comedy
….hmmm…that’s not good. I’m not sure why that is as it hasn’t done that for me. I’ll check back with you in a few days to see if it is still occuring.
Dan recently posted..Top 10 Films of 2003
Sorry… worst Coen movie!
Kai B. Parker recently posted..HOTTEST SCI-FI & ACTION BABES
Have you ever seen Intolerable Cruelty? painful….
I’ve DVRed it once and rented it twice and still haven’t been motivated to watch it.
Heather recently posted..Groovers & Mobsters Present: Dark Comedy
Still better than Burn After Reading!
Kai B. Parker recently posted..I THINK I PEED A LITTLE
Arrrrrrrrrrrrr Kai!
Heather recently posted..Groovers & Mobsters Present: Dark Comedy
what were the problems you saw with this film? I can list about 15 for Intolerable Cruelty, which is, in my opinion, their only poor film (and yes, I remember The Ladykillers)…
I have always liked this film, its just many people who don’t get the comedy, and that’s why it doesn’t quite get the rep it should.
It is a strange sense of humor. I’d get how it puts some people off. Just humor and violence together alone can confuse people so I understand that, but if anyone can avoid laughing at that last scene with Clooney I can’t imagine that person being funny.
Heather recently posted..Groovers & Mobsters Present: Dark Comedy
Burn After Reading is…well, it is what it is. Since it’s the Coen Brothers, it’ll be well-regarded, but hopefully I’ll never have to watch it again. JK Simmons was okay, but I don’t find his whole “calling out the stupidity” schtick clever, it felt more like a cop out.
Plus, Brad Pitt had Johnny Suede hair and I never wanna remember that either.
Sorry boss!
They are usually pretty clever so to be obvious for once didn’t bother me much and Pitt’s whole character was definitely a great parody of “that” kind of guy I felt.
Heather recently posted..Groovers & Mobsters Present: Dark Comedy
As much as I appreciated Malkovich and Pitt in this film I won’t probably see this again for a while.
Fitz recently posted..
I thought this movie was hilarious, even if the second half of the movie was sloppy as hell. I couldn’t help but laugh at everything that Pitt, Malk, and Clooney did. And Swinton was perfect for her small bit.
Red recently posted..
A bit like her small role in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Both movies were fine without her, but she added that extra bit of caustic brilliance.
Loved this movie. And I agree with Frank, Malkovich was the star of the movie. Although it did give me a new-found appreciation for Brad Pitt, wasn’t too keen on his acting up until then.
Olive recently posted..
This was a classic example of poor marketing for a film. Compared to how the movie was “advertised” it was so much darker that it let on. Same thing with Man of the Year now that I think of it. So this just wasn’t what I expected and that was the most disappointing.
I just hated this movie and it’s not because I “didn’t get it”, I just felt so misled that I couldn’t watch without the unbiased feeling. Also, being a Coen film this was not their best effort and that too was a let down:(
Marc recently posted..Off the Shelf…’The Wrestler’
Just realised no one has really spoken about Jenkins. His goodness is just the perfect contrast to everyone’s psychotic weirdness or craziness.